Innocence Is Falling
by Draic Kin of the Balance
Summary: ONE-SHOT / 5.10 "Abandon All Hope / AU / "You're my baby brother," said Dean gently. "If we're doing this, we're doing this together – just like we always do. We go together or we don't go down at all." He smiled sorrowfully. "You and me against the world, remember?"


**Innocence Is Falling**

**By Draic Kin of the Balance**

* * *

"_We tried to fight for what we thought that we believed in_

_Maybe it was all for nothing (I bet that it was all for nothing)_

_So we drive 'cause we like to be alone_

_There's nowhere for us to go_

_There's nowhere for us to go_

_How can you think that any of this was easy_

_With all the friends I've lost along the way?_

_When this is over, we're all getting older now_

_And we all play a part in it_

_Innocence is falling, can you hear them calling now?_

_But I'll be by your side until the end_." –Mayday Parade, _The End_

* * *

It'd all happened so fast, it was almost a blur. The entire time, Meg stood in place, watching in amusement. Dean could hear the hellhounds as they chased after him, Sam, Jo, and Ellen.

"GO! GO, GO, GO!" he shouted. He felt the searing pain of a hellhound's teeth sink into his leg, knocking him down. A gunshot rang out, and another, and another. Looking up, the eldest Winchester felt his stomach drop. "SAM! SAM, NO!"

Sam advanced towards the hellhound, firing off shots. His face was twisted in fury. "Get the hell away from my brother, you sons of bitches!" He was relentless, and for a moment, Dean thought he saw a ghost of vengeance in his brother's eyes. His blood ran cold, but there was no time to think on it as suddenly Sam was tackled to the ground by an invisible assailant. There was a terrible tearing sound, and blood sprayed him. He screamed in agony, his chest weeping blood ceaselessly. Dean scrambled to his feet, scooping his brother into his arms. Sam whimpered, pressing a hand to his chest in an attempt to stop the bleeding.

"You're going to be okay, little brother," Dean assured him. "You're going to be just fine."

"DEAN!" Jo shouted. "IN HERE!" Dean hurried into the hardware store, and Jo slammed the door behind them. She and her mother grabbed the salt and began to pour it alongside the doors, as Dean gently put his brother down against the counter.

"Bandages, I need bandages!" he yelled. He was acutely aware of the tears streaking down his cheeks and his growing hysteria. "ELLEN! JO!"

"Dean," Sam began. "I'm sorry –"

"No. Don't – we aren't saying our goodbyes, Sammy!" Dean shook his head furiously. "Sam, listen to me. We're getting you out of here. You aren't going to die. Not on my watch." He angrily wiped at his tears. _You need to pull yourself together, _he chastised himself. _You aren't helping anyone – not helping your brother – by falling apart. _"Dammit."

"All the doors and windows have been salted," reported Ellen, Jo at her side. "What in the hell are we going to do now?"

"We need to get Sam out of here," Dean told them. "He's been bleeding out nonstop, and the bandages are only slowing it down. He needs an ER, and fast."

"What about the hellhounds?" Jo interjected. "They're just waiting to tear us apart – and it's not like we can use the Colt either."

"We have one shot to kill the devil," said Dean, "but we can't take it. Not with Sam in this condition. He needs help –"

"Stop." Sam's voice cut through their discussion, firm yet shaky at the same time. "Guys, can we be realistic about this?" He grunted in pain, and the group made their way towards the youngest Winchester. "I can't move my legs. I can't be moved, and my guts are being held in by a freaking bandage. We gotta – we gotta get our priorities straight here. I'm not going anywhere, for one."

"Sammy, stop talking like that. We can figure something out."

"No, Dean," said Sam, shaking his head. "I can't fight. I can't walk, but I can do something. We're in a hardware store; we have everything we need."

"Everything we need?" Ellen asked.

"To build a bomb," he answered. Dean shook his head, unable to believe what he was hearing. There had to be another way. There had to be another way that wouldn't end in lives lost – another way that wouldn't end in losing Sam.

"Sammy, no. _No_. I won't allow it. You're making it out of here alive. I can stay here; you and Ellen and Jo can get out of town and get the help you need."

"Do you have any other better ideas, Dean?" his brother countered. "Any at all? Those are fucking hellhounds out there, and they've got our scents. All of them. They are never going to stop coming after you." He took in a deep, shaky breath. "We let the dogs in, you guys hit the roof, make a break for the next building over. I can wait here with my finger on the button, blow those bitches straight back to Hell, and give you guys a few minutes' head start anyway." Something inside Dean broke. He turned away from his brother, pinching the bridge of his nose as hot tears coursed down his cheeks. A ragged sob escaped his chest. There was no more denying it. This was the only way, and Sam wouldn't survive.

Dean turned around and knelt by his younger brother's side, tears relentlessly falling. "Sammy, you can't do this," he said quietly.

"It's what we came here to do, Dean," said Sam. "We have a shot on the devil, and we gotta take it."

"You heard him," Dean said to the Harvelles. "Get going."

Sam glanced towards his brother. Not once had Dean left his side as Ellen and Jo constructed the bomb that would kill the hellhounds, and not a word had been exchanged between them. He didn't want to admit it, but he was scared. He was scared not of death nor the hellhounds lurking outside, but of what would happen after he blew them back to hellfire_. _When he had died in Cold Oak all those years ago, Dean had sold his soul to bring him back. There was no bringing him back, not this time. _I'm going to be blown to bits. It's for the best. Lucifer won't have his vessel, and I won't hurt anyone else. _

"You sure you want to do this?" Dean asked quietly, breaking the intimate silence.

"I have to." Sam's voice was barely above a whisper; his strength was dwindling. It drained him just to talk and accomplish the simplest of tasks. "Dean, it's my choice."

"I know it is, Sammy," his brother said softly. "I know." Fresh tears leaked from the corner of his eyes, and he reached for the trigger, placing it in Sam's hand. He held on, and Sam felt a sob rise in his chest, tears burning in his eyes. There was a choked cry, and it took a moment for him to realize it'd been from him. Dean held him close, and he wrapped an arm around him, keeping one hand on his wound.

"Shhh, shhh. It's okay, Sammy. It's going to be okay," Dean murmured. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying right here with you." They broke apart, and he pressed a kiss to his forehead.

"No! No, no, no!" Sam shook his head angrily. "Dean, you need to go with Ellen and Jo. _Please go._"

"You're my baby brother," said Dean gently. "If we're doing this, we're doing this together – just like we always do. We go together or we don't go down at all." He smiled sorrowfully. "You and me against the world, remember?" Sam nodded, and his brother kissed his forehead once again. "I am _not _leaving you alone here to die."

"The bomb's set." Dean turned to face the Harvelles. Both women were solemn, their eyes glistening with tears unshed. "Dean, are you ready to go?" Jo asked.

"I'm not leaving my brother," he said firmly. "You and Ellen go."

"Dean –"

"I said _go._ I'm not saying it again, Jo." His voice wavered, and he felt Sam's fingers interlace with his in a silent comfort.

"Jo, honey." Her mother gently put an arm on her shoulder. "We can't make him come with us. We need to go." Jo met Dean's eyes before kneeling down to his level and softly pressing her lips to his. Wordlessly, she and her mother left the building, leaving the brothers alone.

* * *

There was a growl, and an audible crash. Windows shattered, and Dean tightened his hold on his brother's hand. "You ready, Sammy?" he asked quietly. No response. _No, no, no, no._ "Sam?" Sam's head rested on his shoulder, his eyes closed. He was motionless. Dean felt tears course from his eyes, but instead of crushing grief, he felt nothing. He was dead inside. He held his brother close to him, and pressed the button.

**FIN.**


End file.
